Union of metallic bodies by fusion



' "1,614,561 1927' E. R..$TOEKLE UNION OF METALLIC BODIES BY FUSION Filed-June 15, 1921 IN VEN TOR.-

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A TTORNEY Patented Jan. 18, 1927,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EBWINiR. STOEKLE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO .THE CUTLER-HAM- MER MFG. CO.. OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN. V

UNION OF METALLIC BODIES BY FUSION.

Application filed June 15, 1921. Serial No. 477,690.

This invention relates to union of metallic bodies by fusion.

More particularly the invention relates to the permanent physical and electrical union of bodies which do not readily unite with one another to form a rugged and reliable union.

As typical of the foregoing may be mentioned, tungsten, molybdenum and tantalum which do not ordinarily unite readily to form a reliable union with certain other metals such, for example, as copper, nickel, iron or the like.

Thus, in the past great difficulty has been encountered in forming such a union between the metals of the afore-designaterl classes by any of the usual fusion methods such as welding, soldering and the like. Such difficulty in the case of copper and also in general where it is desired to use-one of the commoner forms of solder for effecting the union, is due to the fact that copper and ordinary solder do not under usual conditions wet the surface of tungsten and the other metals of the aforementioned class, and hence it is impossible to effect a reliable union by such methods.

Nickel and iron as well as certain other members of the iron group unite readily with tungsten, molybdenum and tantalum but. the resultant alloys are of such extreme hardness and brittleness as to render the direct union of such substances wholly unreliable and impracticable for most purposes.

An object of the present invention is that of providing rugged, durable and wholly reliable mechanical union between substances which thus rosist the formation of such a union particularly between tantalum or a member of the tungsten group on the one hand and copper or a member of the iron group on the other hand.

Another object is that of providing a permanent and wholly reliable electrical union between metals of the different classes aforedesignated.

Another object is that of providing a novel and improved method of producing the aforementioned product. p

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawing, comprising Figures 1 to 4, illustrates a similar number of slightly different forms which the instant product may assume in practice.

In the union which is comprehended in the instant. product, an intermediate sub stance capable of forming a suitable union with metals of both of the aforeindicated classes is utilized for connecting the latter in the manner required, an alloy of copper and nickel having been found to be suitable for this purpose, and hence the complete product may include as illustrated a portion of tungsten or the like and a portion of lIOIl or the like permanently connected by an intermediate bond v,composed preferably of such an alloy of copper and nickel.

Various such alloys which adequately meet the foregoing requirements are commonly known under trade names such as Constantan, Monet metal, Advance and German silver, and in general any one of the foregoing or of certain other of such well known alloys may be employed for this purpose although under special conditions certain of the foregoing may possess peculiar advantages. Such an alloy of copper and nickel may furthermore be readily united either to a separate portion of a similar alloy or to copper. or to most members of the iron group by known methods of soldering, whereby the product in addition to its aforementioned elements may comprise a further solder bond between the alloy and the baser material to be united to the tungsten.

The method of producing the aforementioned product may include practically any of the regularly employed steps for analogous purposes. Thus, in accordance with the illustration of Fig. 1, spot welding may be employed. in practice a portion 5 of a copper-nickel alloy is spot welded to a portion 6 of metallic tungsten or the like and a portion 7 of iron is thereafter united to said portion of the alloy also by spot welding, this being the preferred procedure in such cases although if desired the alloy might be first united to the iron, whereas either or both junctions might optionally be formed by flame welding.

A union formed essentially by the lastill.)

mentioned steps is illustrated in Fig. 2 in accordance with which a bead 8 of a coppernickel alloy is formed upon the tungsten and thereafter such bead is fused and the iron brought therewithin and held in such relation during setting of the head, the product being a permanent union between the tungsten and iron as illustrated.

Fig. 3 illustrates a substantially similar union formed by butt welding, the alloy being indicated by the numeral 8 Fig. 4 illustrates the product of a slightly modified method which employs an or- ,dinary solder in forming the union of the aforementioned ditticultly unitable substances.

In this instance a portion 5 of the coppernickel alloy is united with the tungsten by spot welding essentially as illustrated in Fig. 1, although a similar effect might be produced by flame welding as in 2 and thereafter the copper-nickel alloy is united with the iron by means of a body 9 of ordinary solder in the usual manner. An obvious advantage of the last described steps resides in the fact that the alloy may be united with the tungsten as a step in the manufacture of an article, thus permitting formation of the solder joint at any subsequent time, as during installation of the apparatus, and without necessitating special tools, appliances or skill upon the partof the operator other than those employed in ordinary soldering.

In the apparent absence of generic expressions which cover adequately the particular characteristics of each of the aforementioned classes of materials, the term tungsten is herein employed to include the metals tungsten, molybdenum and tantalum, whereas the term iron is similarly employed to indicate both iron and nickel as well as other members of the iron chemical group and copper.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A welded union between tungsten and iron, comprising an alloy of copper and nickel.

2. A welded body comprising tungsten, iron and an al oy of copper and nickel.

3. A composite metallic body comprising tungsten, iron and an intermediate bond consisting of an alloy of copper and nickel.

4. An electrically conductive composite body comprising tungsten, iron and an alloy of copper and nickel united to one another by fusion.

5. A composite metallic welded body comprising tungsten, iron, an intermediate body of a copper-nickel alloy and a solder.

6. A composite metallic body comprising tungsten, a body of alloy-ed copper and nickel united thereto by fusion and a body of iron united to said alloy by a solder.

7. A composite metallic body comprising tungsten, and a body of alloyed copper and nickel united directly therewith by Welding to provide means whereby said tungsten may be readily united with a body of iron.

8. The method of uniting tungsten and iron which comprises fusion and solidification about adjacent portions of bodies thereof of a copper-nickel alloy.

9. The method of uniting tungsten and iron which comprises uniting therewith respectively by fusion :1 (011mm body of a copper-nickel alloy.

10. A composite metallic body comprising tungsten, and a body of alloyed copper and nickel united directly therewith by welding to provide means whereby said tungsten may be readily united with a body of iron by soldering.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ERWIN R. STOEKLE. 

